Turning over a new leaf.

In the past, I have been absolutely terrible at everything online and haven't promoted my business over the internet whatsoever! I recently looked at my Facebook page and realised that I only had about 100 likes (and for a business about one year old, that's pathetic). So that depressing realisation inspired me to actually 'try' to put things online and share 'Loft co.' with the world!

So, I'm not really used to this blogging thing and I don't really know what to talk about. So I guess I'll just talk about how it all began. I started Loft co. about a year ago. My friend Sera started making candles as a hobby. She loves it when people get involved with the things she loves and gets really excited when you're interested. Anyway, I always had a passion of making things and I actually had a dream of wanting to make my own soaps. After realising that soaps were way too expensive to start up, I decided to try candle making under Sera's influence. I made about six to start, with my "beginner's candle making kit" and gave them to my mum and a couple of other people. At the same time, I just started doing some branding projects at my college and really wanted to brand my own little "project". So I thought - why not brand some candles. I pretty much made the branding overnight (with a few tweaks of course) and it's funny because a year later it's still stuck. Who would have thought - most of the things I do I hate two weeks later.

Anyway, after doing a few markets and joining a few online stores to sell my candles - I actually got my first retailer approach me to wholesale! My business started growing so rapidly, and it was so hard to maintain it because I was still at uni full time and I had another job for four days a week working at my Dad's optical practice. Candles were being made at 4am, and I was printing, cutting and folding boxes for them well into sunrise. I was getting so exhausted and sleep deprived that I had no other choice but to order some boxes from an actual printer. I am a spend thrift, and only want the best that money can buy. So I went all out and got silver foiled, hard boxes with every fancy colour and printing technique existing. Ten THOUSAND dollars and four months later, I got my new boxes, flyers, business cards, stickers (the lot). I'm now sleeping with boxes all over my bedroom (my poor boyfriend) and they are also at my mum's place... and some are still at the packaging dude's studio. It literally takes me two seconds to put a sticker on a box, put the candle inside and it's good to go. Totally awesome and time efficient. Anyway, here's some pictures of the new boxes and stuff:

I've now got my candles in about 15 stores around Australia, and this number grows every month. I'm so excited to share my wonderful, hand made products with everyone and I guess this blog will show my processes and inspiration along the way! Please enjoy, and visit my ridiculously unloved Facebook page: www.facebook.com/loftcoboutique